# US 12,191,778 B2 · Power converter and operation method thereof

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- Number: US 12,191,778 B2
- Document ID: US12191778B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/956,804
- Filed: 2022-09-29
- Published: 2023-04-13
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-10-07
- Assignees: Acer Incorporated
- Applicants: Acer Incorporated
- Inventors: Tzu-Tseng Chan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191778B2

## CPC

- H02M 7/06: using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode
- H02M 1/0009: {Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter}
- H02M 1/0032: {Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode}
- H02M 1/007: {Plural converter units in cascade (push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826)}
- H02M 1/4225: {using a non-isolated boost converter}
- H02M 1/44: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters
- H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
- Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

A power converter and an operation method of the power converter are provided. The power converter includes a rectifier, a boost circuit, a current sensor, and a processor. The rectifier rectifies an AC power to generate a rectified power. The boost circuit includes a boost inductor. The boost circuit boosts the rectified power to generate an output power. The current sensor senses an inductor current value at the boost inductor to generate a sensed value corresponding to the inductor current value. The processor generates a first reference value according to an output voltage value of the output power, an input impedance value, and a first value. When the sensed value is greater than the first reference value, the processor enters a first operation mode to cause the sensed value to be not less than the first reference value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A power converter, comprising:
a rectifier, configured to rectify an AC power at an input end to generate a rectified power;
a boost circuit, comprising a boost inductor and being configured to boost the rectified power to generate an output power;
a current sensor, configured to sense an inductor current value at the boost inductor to generate a sensed value corresponding to the inductor current value; and
a processor, coupled to the rectifier, the boost circuit, and the current sensor and configured to receive an input impedance value of the input end and an output voltage value of the output power, generate a first reference value according to the output voltage value, the input impedance value, and a first value, and enter a first operation mode when the sensed value is greater than the first reference value,
wherein, in the first operation mode, the processor controls the boost circuit to cause the sensed value to be not less than the first reference value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The power converter according to claim 1, wherein
the boost circuit further comprises a power switch, and
in the first operation mode, when the sensed value drops to be equal to the first reference value, the processor turns on the power switch to increase the inductor current value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The power converter according to claim 1, wherein
the processor further generates a second reference value according to the output voltage value, the input impedance value, and a second value, and
the second value is greater than the first value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The power converter according to claim 3, wherein
when the sensed value is greater than the second reference value and less than or equal to the first reference value, the processor enters a second operation mode, and
in the second operation mode, the processor controls the boost circuit based on a switching frequency to prevent a generation of an electromagnetic interference in the power converter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The power converter according to claim 4, wherein
when the sensed value is less than or equal to the second reference value, the processor enters a third operation mode, and
in the third operation mode, the processor controls the boost circuit based on a frequency range to maintain an optimal efficiency of the power converter under a light load.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The power converter according to claim 5, wherein the processor comprises:
an input impedance sensor, configured to sense the input impedance value;
a first calculator, coupled to the input impedance sensor and configured to receive the output voltage value, multiply the input impedance value and the first value to produce a first product, and divide the output voltage value by the first product to generate the first reference value;
a first comparator, coupled to the first calculator and the current sensor and configured to compare the sensed value with the first reference value to generate a first comparison result; and
a mode controller, coupled to the first comparator and configured to control the processor to enter the first operation mode when the first comparison result indicates that the sensed value is greater than the first reference value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The power converter according to claim 6, wherein the processor comprises:
a second calculator, coupled to the input impedance sensor and configured to receive the output voltage value, multiply the input impedance value and the second value to produce a second product, and divide the output voltage value by the second product to generate the second reference value; and
a second comparator, coupled to the second calculator, the current sensor, and the mode controller and configured to compare the sensed value with the second reference value to generate a second comparison result.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The power converter according to claim 7, wherein when the first comparison result indicates that the sensed value is less than or equal to the first reference value and the second comparison result indicates that the sensed value is greater than the second reference value, the mode controller controls the processor to enter the second operation mode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The power converter according to claim 7, wherein when the second comparison result indicates that the sensed value is less than or equal to the second reference value, the mode controller controls the processor to enter the third operation mode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The power converter according to claim 6, wherein the boost circuit further comprises a power switch, and the processor further comprises:
a control signal generator, providing a corresponding control signal in response to one of the first operation mode, the second operation mode, and the third operation mode and using the control signal to control the power switch to be turned on and turned off.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether a variation frequency of the inductor current value is abnormal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the current sensor comprises:
a coupled inductor, coupled to the boost inductor to sense the inductor current value;
a sensing resistor, wherein a first end of the sensing resistor is coupled to a first end of the coupled inductor and a second end of the sensing resistor is coupled to a reference low voltage; and
a discharging capacitor, wherein a first end of the discharging capacitor is coupled to a second end of the coupled inductor, and a second end of the discharging capacitor is coupled to the second end of the sensing resistor.

### Claim 13

An operation method adapted for a power converter, wherein the power converter comprises a rectifier and a boost circuit, the rectifier is configured to rectify an AC power at an input end to generate a rectified power, the boost circuit comprises a boost inductor, the boost circuit is configured to boost the rectified power to generate an output power, and the operation method comprises:
sensing an inductor current value at the boost inductor to generate a sensed value corresponding to the inductor current value;
receiving an input impedance value of the input end and an output voltage value of the output power, and generating a first reference value according to the output voltage value, the input impedance value, and a first value; and
when the sensed value is greater than the first reference value, entering a first operation mode to control the boost circuit to cause the sensed value to be not less than the first reference value.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The operation method according to claim 13, wherein the boost circuit further comprises a power switch, and entering the first operation mode to control the boost circuit to cause the sensed value to be not less than the first reference value comprises:
when the sensed value drops to be equal to the first reference value, turning on the power switch to increase the inductor current value.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The operation method according to claim 13, wherein receiving the input impedance value of the input end and the output voltage value of the output power, and generating the first reference value according to the output voltage value, the input impedance value, and the first value comprises:
generating a second reference value according to the output voltage value, the input impedance value, and a second value,
wherein the second value is greater than the first value.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The operation method according to claim 15, further comprising:
when the sensed value is greater than the second reference value and less than or equal to the first reference value, entering a second operation mode to control the boost circuit based on a switching frequency to prevent a generation of an electromagnetic interference in the power converter.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The operation method according to claim 16, further comprising:
when the sensed value is less than or equal to the second reference value, entering a third operation mode to control the boost circuit based on a frequency range to maintain an optimal efficiency of the power converter under a light load.